Free Untrusting (Troubled) by A. J. Wells Page B

room. 
There’s still work to be done inside but we’re all so tired we call it a
day.  We’ll finish cleaning tomorrow and be ready to go back to work
Monday.  Hopefully the electricity will be on then.
    I go home to a badly needed
shower.  Working in the heat and humidity today was more than any
deodorant could handle.  After my shower I sit down in my arm chair for a
minute, two hours later I wake up and go to bed.
    Before church I go by the office
and let the dogs out.  After church, I see Miss Lili walking home and stop
her to ask about Steve and Bob.  They made it home about midnight and were
sleeping the last time she saw them.  She asks me over but, I remind her,
I need to get to the office and get some more work done.  I tell her
Maria’s supposed to meet me there after church.  After the day we all had
yesterday, she should stay home an’ take care of Steve and Bob.  She
agrees.
    I get to the office and check the
new puppies, their fine.  That’s when I realize Chaucee, José and Chief
aren’t here.  I’ll have to go after them, but I’ll wait for Maria. 
She comes in ready to work.  I tell her what I’d heard from Miss Lili and
she’s relieved to hear the guys are okay.  I tell her we need to get the
dogs from Miss Lili’s, but first we’ll get a little more done here.  About
two thirty we head to Miss Lili’s in my truck.
    Miss Lili’s glad to see us ‘til she
finds out why we’re here.  She doesn’t want the dogs taken away and says
so.  I tell her Chaucee needs to get back to nursing and José and Chief
haven’t been checked out for a few days.  She moves and Chief comes to me,
he’s mobile, despite his ribs and José is close behind him on his three
legs.  I tell her I need to x-ray Chief.  José and Chaucee are part
of the court order so they have to stay with me.  I’d like to leave them
here, but a court order isn’t something I want to get caught
disregarding.  She understands.  I tell her I can bring Chief back,
because he’s not included in the order.  Steve comes into the kitchen and
Chief, tail wagging, goes to him.
    Steve has on his jeans, but no
shirt.  Nice.  I lower my head to keep from giving myself away. 
He squats to pet Chief, who’s more than glad to see him…too.  Steve looks
up “Did I hear you say Chief can stay?  What about his broken rib?” 
I tell him Chief isn’t part of the court order covering the other dogs, so he
can stay, but I need to x-ray him to be sure all his movements of the last few
days haven’t caused any problems.  Steve says he’ll bring him over in
about an hour.  Miss Lili brings Chaucee and I pick up José.  I
assure Miss Lili that as soon as I can, I’ll bring them home.
    Bob comes into the kitchen as we’re
going toward the back door, dressed the same way Steve is.  I hear Maria
catch her breath.  Bob comes over to say “hi” with a kiss for Maria. 
She’s holding Chaucee, who I grab from her before the puppy gets squashed
between them.  There’s no doubt Bob’s glad to see her and isn’t afraid to
show it.  After the kiss and they come back to earth, Maria and I go back
to the office and check out the two dogs.
    They’re fine and Chaucee’s welcomed
back by her foster mama.  José is put in a kennel on the floor and the
kennels are opened for the dogs to wonder in and out the back door at their
leisure.  Maria and I work on getting things back in order after the
cleaning we did earlier.  As we’re finishing Steve, Bob and Chief come
through the door.  I take Chief in for x-rays and Steve joins me to hold
Chief still while I take the pictures.  The x-rays look good and the
incision is good.  Steve can take Chief home, but he has to be kept quiet,
no jumping or running and he’s to be lifted by two people, one at the front and
one at the rear and the splint can be taken off if he’s not moving
around.  Steve nods while I let Chief into the kennel room to go out if he
wants to.